Sydney [Australia], January 3: Indian cricket superstar Virat Kohli, who has been a dominant force in international cricket, is facing an ongoing rough patch in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia. Despite being one of the game’s all-time greats with a series of illustrious records, Kohli’s recent performances have come under scrutiny as he continues to battle inconsistency in the current series.
Kohli, who has been a cornerstone of India’s success in Test cricket, started the ongoing BGT with optimism after his brilliant century in Perth. In the second innings of the Perth Test, Kohli played a crucial unbeaten knock of 100 runs from 143 balls, helping India secure a massive 295-run victory. Fans had hoped that he would maintain his form throughout the series. However, the star batter has failed to live up to expectations in subsequent matches.
In the Adelaide Test, Kohli was dismissed for just 7 runs from 8 balls in the first innings by Mitchell Starc. In the second innings, his struggles continued as he managed only 11 runs from 21 balls before falling to Scott Boland. This performance contributed to India’s crushing 10-wicket defeat, leveling the series at 1-1.
Moving on to Brisbane for the third Test, despite the rain-affected draw, Kohli’s form remained underwhelming. He scored just 3 runs from 16 balls in the first innings and was dismissed by Josh Hazlewood. The Melbourne Test was another disappointment as Kohli could only muster 36 runs from 86 balls in the first innings before falling to Boland. In the second innings, he could only manage 5 runs before being dismissed by Mitchell Starc, contributing to India’s 184-run defeat.
As the team arrived in Sydney, Kohli’s fans were hopeful for a revival, but once again, he fell short. In the first innings, he scored only 17 runs from 69 balls before being dismissed by Scott Boland for the third time in the series. This brings Kohli’s total tally against Boland to just 32 runs in six innings at an underwhelming strike rate of 32.65. Boland has now dismissed him four times in Tests, with three of those wickets coming in this series alone.
All of Kohli’s dismissals in this series have followed a similar pattern — getting caught behind or in the slips after edging deliveries outside the off-stump. With seven dismissals in the ongoing BGT, each coming in a similar fashion, Kohli’s struggles against Australia’s pace attack, particularly Scott Boland, have been evident.
Kohli’s overall batting average against Boland stands at a mere 8, a statistic that highlights the pacer’s dominance over the Indian batter in recent times. His lack of form has led to concerns over his place in India’s evolving Test lineup, with the team undergoing transitions in leadership and selection.
As India looks ahead to future Test matches, the hope remains that Kohli will be able to rediscover his best form. Fans continue to rally behind the 36-year-old, praying for a turnaround in what has been a difficult phase in his illustrious career.